Vintage Home and Farm

Here it is late December, and I just came back in from the garden with a small harvest. It's been rainy the past few days. Despite the drizzle, I threw on my raincoat and ventured outside to pick fresh greens and see what else I could find.  When I came back inside with the basket full of vegetables and herbs, everything was covered with mud. The beets and horseradish had clumps of dirt on them that got onto the rest. So, I washed it all really well and then soaked it in a bin of water with a few tablespoons of white vinegar to help clear away any impurities. One last rinse and a spin dry in the vegetable spinner, and there they are. My lovely garden veggies. What did I find? Kale, swiss chard, spinach, bok choy, beets, horseradish, and parsley. All except the beets and horseradish were plants that reseeded themselves over the summer. Actually, greens and herbs have been reseeding themselves for the past few years. I have literally not planted any seeds of these plants for a long t

Hello! Welcome to our little farm where we raise chickens and ducks, watch over an apiary full of honeybees, tend to a garden, and wait for the field of blueberry bushes to mature. If you missed it, be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series where we introduce you to the birds in our flock! We are proud to introduce... Beaker #2 A few years ago, we had a hen named Beaker who was all gray. She was hatched from an egg that one of our other hens laid (we weren’t sure who) and her father was Captain Rooster . So, her breed was a mystery. The first Beaker has since passed away, and then this second all-gray hen came along last spring when we purchased her from Coastal Farm and Ranch. She was supposed to be a Rhode Island Red. But, as can happen, the chicks got mixed up in the bin and we ended up with Beaker #2. We adore her anyhow. She is very shy and runs away if approached. Chandler & Janice These two golden hens are super friendly and easy-going. They are also good

Welcome to the second in a three-part series featuring the members of our flock! If you missed Part 1, you can read it by clicking here . Little Red A good egg layer, Little Red is a Rhode Island Red hen who produces healthy brown eggs nearly every day of the year. She has an inquisitive nature and loves to forage. When she is cuddled up on the roost at night, you can pat her on the back and she will make cooing noises in rhythm with each pat you give her. Foghorn Leghorn Foghorn Leghorn hatched from an egg one of our other hens laid back when we had a rooster. The hen who laid on the nest for her is Cheech, a kind mother hen who gets broody every year. Foghorn’s father was Captain, the meanest rooster on this side of the Rockies. Captain lost a battle with a bald eagle that swooped into the chicken run a few years back, which has since saved us from being kicked with his wicked spurs every day. Simon & Garfunkel These two black-and-white speckled hens were purchased from Airpor